


Secret Admirer(s)

by relic_amaranth



Category: Supernatural
Genre: F/M, Gender-neutral Reader, Love Confessions, M/M, Other, Romance, Valentine's Day, Valentine's Day Fluff
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-02-10
Updated: 2019-02-10
Packaged: 2019-10-25 11:07:39
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,906
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/17724029
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/relic_amaranth/pseuds/relic_amaranth
Summary: Castiel decides to try and use Valentine’s Day to help him express how he feels for you. Dean, Sam, and Jack help. It goes…well?





	Secret Admirer(s)

 

Castiel is starting to get frustrated.

In truth, he has been for a while. But being frustrated with himself has led to nothing productive. He’s still here, in the library, with books and magazines on love in the modern day, and yet nothing to show for it. He knows how this is supposed to go. In theory. He just doesn’t know how to–

“You find a case or something, Cas?” Dean says and sits down with his breakfast.

“No,” Castiel says morosely as Sam mirrors Dean on the other side of the table. Before Castiel can stop him, Dean snakes his hand around, snags one of the magazines, and pulls it to himself.

He promptly chokes on his coffee. “Cas,” he says in a gasp while Sam leans over to look. “Why are you reading _this_?”

“Research.”

“For _what_?”

Castiel sighs and stares mournfully at one of the more clinical texts. He says your name likewise, and glowers when Sam snorts.

“Seriously?” Dean asks, looking at Castiel more soberly. “You're going to make a move?”

“I don’t know. None of this feels…right.” Castiel grimaces at one of the books with a questionably assembled cover and pushes it away.

“It’s– Cas, Valentine’s Day is coming up. If you're going to do it, this time of year is _easy mode_.”

“But isn’t that…” Castiel has to think of the right word. “Commercial?”

“Not necessarily,” Sam pipes in. “As long as you care about what you’re doing, it can go really well.”

“Seriously. _Easy_ ,” Dean says, staring at Castiel. “Card, chocolates, flowers. As cliché as it gets– that way there’s no misunderstanding what you mean by it.”

“Since when are you an expert?” Sam scoffs. Then they’re off and arguing and Castiel, well used to the occurrence, quietly contemplates Dean’s suggestion. It’s not a bad idea.

 

It’s a _terrible_ idea.

“Come on, Cas,” Dean groans and shoves the card closer to him. “This thing cost _four bucks_. Just write something romantic and you’re good.”

“I can’t think of what to write, and I don’t want to ruin it,” Castiel says.

Dean’s phone buzzes and he checks it. He curses. “Think of _something_ because they just pulled in.”

Castiel feels a surge of panic and seizes up even more. Precious seconds slip by while he stares at red cardstock and tries desperately to put the depth of his feelings into words. _Any_ words. But even Enochian fails him.

“Here,” Dean says in exasperation and grabs the card and pen. He scribbles something out and pushes it back. “Just sign your name.”

But then Sam bursts into the library. “They’re coming!”

Dean and Sam run off to hide and Castiel rushes to put the card inside the envelope that has your name on it. At least he had managed _that_.

It’s only when he’s crouched in hiding that he realizes he forgot the other half of the equation. “I didn’t write my name!”

Dean and Sam shush him. “It’s fine; with how you wrote their name, they’ll know,” Dean whispers and mutters something under his breath about Castiel being ‘extra’ as they all settle in to watch.

You and Jack enter the room, still with bags in hand from your recent hunting trip. Castiel is pleased to see there is no limping, protective holding, or wincing. Your groan is one of relief as you drop your things to the ground. “Home sweet home.”

Jack mimics you, dropping his backpack and stretching just like you. It’s him that notices the card. “What’s that?”

You pick it up and…you smile. Castiel feels lightened. Until you open the card and stare at it, your smile freezing into flatness on your face and your only comment is, “hm.”

Castiel’s stomach sinks. You were happy with the envelope but not with the card? What does that mean? Jack, looking around the room, squints in his direction. Sam and Dean make slashing motions across their necks and Jack quickly looks away.

“Well, I’m going to bed,” you say and sigh. The sound weighs on Castiel. “You should get some rest too, Jack. You did good.”

“Thank you. I’ll…rest soon,” Jack says.

As soon as you leave the room, the three of them come out of hiding.

“What’s going on?” Jack asks.

“I don’t understand,” Castiel says. “It was a very nice card.”

“They looked disappointed. Maybe it didn’t go far enough?” But Dean frowns. “It was good though. So what’s their problem? Maybe they _didn’t_ know it was you.”

Castiel has a chilling suspicion. “Maybe they do know, but–”

“Okay, no.” Dean claps his hand against Castiel’s back. Hard. “We’ll figure this out, Cas; don’t worry.”

“Besides, this is only the first step,” Sam says. “And doesn’t it feel good to at least start?”

Aside from the worry of rejection, Castiel realizes that Sam is right. It feels like progress. And you are good and kind and the two of you have gone through too much to not be in each others’ lives, even if this goes poorly. Perhaps he _can_ do this.

 

He can’t do this.

“Every time I try to put this into words I fail,” Castiel says. “I can’t just shove this off on them.”

“Try taking it easy. You don’t have to put it all out there right away,” Sam says. He holds out the heart-shaped box of candy. “‘This is for you. Happy Valentine’s Day.’ Something easy like that.”

Castiel takes it. “What do I say after?” he asks and places it on the table.

“That’s up to you,” Sam says. When Castiel slumps, he chuckles. “Sorry Cas but we can’t do it for you. Just give it to them and see where it goes. Don’t think too hard.”

“How do I–”

“Good luck!” Sam says abruptly and leaves. Castiel realizes why as you turn into the doorway, humming. When you see him, you smile.

“Hey Cas,” you say. Your eyes drop to the bright red box (that looks nothing like an actual heart) and you approach it. “Ooo, what’s this?”

“It’s– it’s for you,” Castiel says.

You look excited. Maybe Sam and Dean were right, maybe this is it. But Castiel opens his mouth at the same time your excitement tempers, and he shuts it quickly. You’re staring at the card, with slowly drooping lips, and Castiel leans over you to read whatever Sam wrote and try to undo the damage. But there’s nothing there– just your name. The other day you were excited to see your name and today you are disappointed and Castiel has no idea what changed. “Oh,” you say. But you at least pick it up. “Thanks Cas,” you say and leave.

Castiel walks over to the wall and hits his head against it. It doesn’t make him feel any better.

 

He still doesn’t feel any better days later, as he slouches over the table. Coffee sits in front of him, untouched, because while drinking it does nothing, the smell is comforting. Not that it does him much good now.

Sam and Dean are looking at the paper and the internet, respectively. Thankfully they’re both so sore that their gifts weren't well received that they no longer bring it up. Misery and company.

And then Jack comes in, bright and happy even amidst the metaphorical storm clouds. “Good morning!”

Dean grunts while Sam and Castiel actually make the effort to greet him. Unperturbed by the downtrodden mood, Jack sits down next to Castiel. “How are your Valentine’s plans going?”

“Ah…” Castiel sighs and speaks honestly.

Jack nods. “That’s too bad,” he says and… _smiles_. Truly, he beams, like he’s proud of himself. Not that he shouldn’t be but– “Don’t worry Castiel; I think they’re going to go better now.”

Three heads turn to Jack as if magnetized. His smile turns even prouder, if that’s possible.

“Jack,” Castiel says slowly. “What did you do?”

 

You’re starting to get frustrated.

Actually, you’re starting to wish you had accepted Gabriel’s offer to fuck off to Australia for the week. He’s probably ogling Chris Hemsworth on a beach while you try to deal with expressions of affection from your (formerly sane) friends.

It’s _weird_. Dean wrote you a really sweet message in a card. Sam left you candy– in a heart-shaped box no less. And now, Jack has placed flowers in your room. _Very_ nice flowers. None of them signed their respective names, but you’re not stupid– you _know_ what their handwriting looks like. You even know what Cas’s handwriting looks like.

And you had been so excited to see your name in his calligraphic cursive on the card envelope. You had thought that maybe…but no. Cas never brought it up, and was so stiff when he told you about the chocolates. And doesn’t that just figure, that the one person you would have loved a real Valentine’s Day gift from…probably doesn’t understand the holiday and just got roped into participating by Dean.

Still, Valentine’s isn’t just for romantic love and you intend to show your friends that you care for them too. Just…way, way more obviously platonically. So you head out on a little hunting trip on your own, and return that afternoon to find all four men already in the library. Perfect.

“What’s this?” Dean asks as you set your bag on the table and start pulling things out.

“Valentine’s Day gifts,” you say and start handing them out. Everybody gets a small box of chocolate, a little card, and a single flower. “To thank you guys for the ones you gave me.”

“Wh- why do you think that was us?” Sam says, glancing at his fellow conspirators.

You snort. “I have known and hunted with _you two_ for _years_. Hell; I helped teach Jack how to write. Just because you didn’t sign your names doesn’t mean I don’t know they came from you.” You turn to Cas. You try to play it cool, but you smile when you hand him his gift. “I know you probably don’t care about Valentine’s Day, but…I hope you don’t mind that I got you something too.”

You got Cas something different– a few flowers and a larger card. You have an excuse though, in the fact that he doesn’t eat chocolate, so hopefully Dean and Sam and Jack don’t mind. Cas, though, apparently minds. He sets them down without even looking at them and says your name in such a strained voice– tense enough to match the straight line of his shoulders. “Can we speak in private?”

“Sure,” you say hesitantly and follow him out. You go through the bunker halls, and into a storeroom, where–

–he kisses you.

Your brain shuts down and only stutters back to life when all you have is the echo of his lips against yours. “Cas?”

“They were trying to help me,” Cas says, face still so close to yours, his hands holding your shoulders. “But you’re right– those gifts were from them. This…was from me.”

You don’t know what to say. At first. Then your lips curl up and you lick them. It’s immensely satisfying that Cas watches you do that. “Not to be greedy, but…can I have some more?”

Cas, eyes glowing with natural happiness, obliges.

 

 

Jack looks confused.

Dean is ignoring everything.

Sam sighs and looks down. “Are you almost done?”

Gabriel, bunched up on the floor, doesn’t stop laughing for another twenty minutes.


End file.
